The Sacrifice Box, by Martin Stewart (Blog Tour) ~ 4.0 Stars

Tags

Coming-of-age stories, Historical Fiction, Horror, Mystery, Thriller, YA Fiction

Thanks to a NetGalley and Viking Books for Young Readers for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review. 

Release Date: August 28th, 2018

368 Pages

Synopsis: A horror story about friendship, growing up, and finding a place in the world: Gremlins meets The Breakfast Club by way of Stephen King and Stranger Things.

1982, the summer before seventh grade. Five kids with nothing in common—Sep, Arkle, Hadley, Lamb, and Mack—become instant friends. On the last day of summer, they find a stone box buried in the forest, and each places an object inside to seal their friendship. And they make rules:

Never come to the box alone.

Never open it after dark.

Never take back your sacrifice.

1986, the summer before eleventh grade. The five haven’t spoken since that day in 1982. Sep has gone through the past four years alone and plans to escape to boarding school. But strange things are happening—mirrors are breaking unexpectedly, electricity is flickering in and out, and people are coming down with inexplicable physical ailments. 

Someone has broken the rules. And it seems the five committed more than objects to the box’s ancient stone—they gave it their deepest secrets and darkest fears, and now these are being returned in a flood of shambling corpses, murderous toys, and undead pets. The gang must reunite in an attempt to discover the secrets of the sacrifice box—and Sep might be the only one who can stem its tide of evil before it’s too late.

Before I give you my review of The Sacrifice Box, I have to give animal lovers fair warning: A LOT of them die in this book, and in some pretty gruesome ways. Humans do as well, but let’s be honest, it’s our fuzzy four-legged friends that we really hate seeing perish. What? I’m just saying what we’re all thinking! Anyway, if you have a problem with books like Stephen King’s Pet Semetary, then this twisted tale may not be for you.

 

Okay, now for the nitty gritty. As the premise states, The Sacrifice Box is part Stranger Things, part Breakfast Club, part Gremlins, and definitely has a mix of Stephen King—specifically Stand By Me, It, and Pet Semetary. This could have been a red hot derivative mess, but Martin Stewart takes all these elements and skillfully blends them into a nightmarish concoction that captured my attention so thoroughly I finished it in one sitting.

 

There were two issues I had which prevented me from giving this 5 stars. While I loved the main character September “Sep” Hope, I didn’t find the other characters quite as well rounded. There’s a lot of action going on in this story and it flips between different timelines, and I think that because there was so much happening, the characters’ development suffered a bit. My other problem was with the ending which I felt was too rushed and left a few loose ends. Because I’m a reader who likes her books to be neatly tied up, especially when they’re standalones, I was a little frustrated by this.

Despite these issues, I absolutely loved The Sacrifice Box and I think fans of hardcore horror will really enjoy this. The book is marketed as YA, but I would strongly recommend it for 16 year-olds and up due to all the blood, gore, and overall scariness of it. It’s an entertaining mix of terrifying horror and a poignant coming-of-age story that looks at love, friendship, and the secrets we all keep hidden deep within ourselves.

 

You’re probably wondering “Kim! What’s up with the creepy gifs?” Well, if you choose to read this let’s just say you might want to lock up any stuffed animals and dolls in the house. And you might want to keep an eye on your pets. Um, and be wary of birds, squirrels, deer, and…Just don’t go outside until you’ve recovered from reading this book!

About the Author:

Martin Stewart has previously worked as an English teacher, university lecturer, barman, recycling technician, and golf caddy. A native of Glasgow, he now lives on Scotland’s west coast with his wife, baby daughter, and a very big dog. He enjoys cooking with eggs, running on the beach, re-watching his favorite films, and buying books to feed his to-be-read pile. 

You can also find him here:

Twitter – https://mobile.twitter.com/martinjstewart

Goodreads – https://goodreads.com/author/show/238277.Martin_Stewart

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/martin_j_stewart/

 

 

Advertisements

The Hellfire Club, by Jake Tapper ~ 2.0 Stars

Tags

Adult Fiction, Historical Fiction, Political Thrillers

Thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: Available Now

352 Pages

Synopsis: The debut political thriller from Jake Tapper, CNN’s chief Washington correspondent and the New York Times bestselling author of “The Outpost”—-1950’s D.C. intrigue about a secret society and a young Vongressman in its grip.

Charlie Marder is an unlikely Congressman. Thrust into office by his family ties after his predecessor died mysteriously. Charlie is struggling to navigate the dangerous waters of of 1950s Washington, DC , alongside his young wife Margaret, a zoologist with ambitions of her own. Amid the swirl of glamorous and powerful political leaders and deal makers, a mysterious fatal car accident thrusts Charlie and Margaret into an underworld of backroom deals, secret societies, and a plot that could change the course of history. When Charlie discovers a conspiracy that reaches the highest levels of governance, he has to fight not only for his principles and his newfound political career…but for his life.

I have a confession to make. Jake Tapper is not only one of my favorite journalists, but I also have a secret crush on him. Plus he has my eternal admiration for the way he interviews Kellyanne Conway without ever losing his cool when she’s spouting her “alternative facts”. So, when I heard that his first foray into fiction was coming out I knew I had to request it. 

The Hellfire Club starts out very strong and immediately grabbed my attention. I love the time period of the early 1950s and Tapper, not surprisingly knows his stuff when it comes to politics during the McCarthy era. All the big political players are here: Jack and Bobby Kennedy; Joe McCarthy and his legal minion Roy Cohn; Senator Estes Kefauver who led a highly publicized investigation into organized crime, and many other well known personalities of the time. Dropped into the Washington swamp is the young and naive Charlie Marder. I liked a couple of the characters, but most of them were a little two-dimensional.   The plot turned into something so convoluted it further spoiled my enjoyment. There are too many subplots that cover everything from juvenile delinquency, to comic books, to farm bills, to Puerto Rican revolution, and even wild horses. If Tapper had just focused on the secret society and conspiracy angle, I think this would have been a great political thriller. I love conspiracies much as the next reader, but there was so much much going on my head was spinning. There were also too many parallels to what’s going on with Washington politics today and they came across as forced and contrived. 

It breaks my heart to give The Hellfire Club a poor review. The concept and premise is wonderful, but for me the characters and contrived storyline just never meshed. I’ve read a couple of  Jake Tapper’s nonfiction books—The Outpost: An Untold Story of American Valor (2012) and Down & Dirty: The Plot to Steal the Presidency (2000). The first book detailed one of the deadliest battles between U.S. troops and the Taliban. The second was an intriguing breakdown of the Florida election debacle that took place in 2000. Both were meticulously researched and captivating, and I’m saying this as someone who doesn’t read a lot of nonfiction. If Tapper decides to try his hand at another fiction book, I’ll probably try it, but I’m hoping he won’t because I suspect it’s just not his forte. The Hellfire Club is receiving mixed reviews, so if you’re interested by the premise, as always I encourage you to check this out for yourself.

Truly Devious, by Maureen Johnson ~ 4.0 Stars

Tags

Historical Fiction, LGBT, Mystery, Suspense, YA Fiction

Thanks to Edelweiss and HarperCollins for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: Available Now

432 Pages

Synopsis: Ellingham Academy is a famous private school in Vermont for the brightest thinkers, inventors, and artists. It was founded by Albert Ellingham, an early twentieth century tycoon, who wanted to make a wonderful place full of riddles, twisting pathways, and gardens. “A place,” he said, “where learning is a game.”

Shortly after the school opened, his wife and daughter were kidnapped. The only real clue was a mocking riddle listing methods of murder, signed with the frightening pseudonym “Truly Devious.” It becomes one of the great unsolved crimes of American history.

True crime aficionado Stevie Bell is set to begin her first year at Ellingham Academy, and she has an ambitious plan: She will solve this cold case. That is, she will solve the case when she gets a grip on her demanding new school life and her housemates: the inventor, the novelist, the actor, the artist, and the jokester. But something strange is happening. Truly Devious makes a surprise return, and death revisits Ellingham Academy. The past has crawled out of its grave. Someone has gotten away with murder.

The synopsis of Truly Devious immediately grabbed my attention. And then much to my delight, Maureen Johnson’s dedication read:

For anyone who has ever dreamed of finding a body in the library.

Right there I had a hunch I was going to love this book. But wait. It gets even better! On the first page is the image of a letter sent to Arthur Ellingham in 1936.

Look! A riddle!

Time for fun!

Should we use 

A rope or gun?

Knives are sharp

And gleam so pretty

Poison’s slow,

Which is a pity

Fire is festive,

Drowning’s slow

Hanging’s a

Ropy way to go

A broken head

A nasty fall

A car colliding 

With a wall

Bombs make a

Very jolly noise

Such ways to

Punish naughty boys

What shall we use?

We can’t decide

Just like you cannot

Run or hide

Ha ha.

Truly,

Devious

 

Well, if you could have seen me at this point, you may have feared for my sanity, as I was chortling and rubbing my hands together in anticipation. And I’m happy to say that for the most part I was not disappointed.

The characters were well-rounded and diverse. Stevie suffers from anxiety and panic attacks, but talks her parents into allowing her to attend the Ellingham Academy because she’s obsessed with the tragic unsolved mystery of the Ellinghams. She dreams of a career in law enforcement and is determined to solve this cold case. She’s extremely smart but socially awkward due to her anxiety issues. I was completely in her corner from the very beginning.

The secondary characters are intriguing and quirky. I especially liked Stevie’s best friend Janelle who is very sweet and supportive. I also loved Nate who seems to always be there for Stevie while at the same time he’s constantly agonizing over the novel he’s writing. I wasn’t overly fond of the romance between Stevie and David. I didn’t like David and the romance just felt forced, but it wasn’t a huge part of the story so it didn’t bother me too much.

The plot(s) had me completely hooked from the first page, despite being a slow burner. The story switches between the two timelines seamlessly. Both mysteries kept me guessing and even at the end, I was as baffled as I was in the beginning. Speaking of the ending, you’re going to either love it or hate it. Very little is given in the way of answers which is frustrating, but it perfectly sets the stage for the next book.

Overall I found Truly Devious to be a fun and engaging YA mystery which in a way brought me back to my Nancy Drew days. It’s filled with memorable characters and the while the cliffhanger ending made me want to hurl my Kindle across the room, it has me eagerly anticipating the sequel. I would definitely recommend this to any mystery loving reader.

 

The Immortalists, by Chloe Benjamin ~ 3.0 Stars

Tags

Adult Literature, Family Relationships, Historical Fiction, LGBT Relationships

Thanks to Edelweiss and G.P. Putnam’s Sons for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: Available Now

352 Pages

Synopsis: If you knew the date of your death, how would you live your life?

It’s 1969 in New York City’s Lower East Side, and word has spread of the arrival of a mystical woman, a traveling psychic who claims to be able to tell anyone the day they will die. The Gold children—-four adolescents on the cusp of self-awareness—-sneak out to hear their fortunes. 

The prophecies inform their next five decades. Golden-boy Simon escapes to the West Coast searching for love in ‘80s San Francisco; dreamy Klara becomes a Las Vegas magician, obsessed with blurring reality and fantasy; eldest son Daniel seeks security as an army doctor post-9/11; and bookish Varya throws herself into longevity research, where she tests the boundary between science and immortality. 

A sweeping novel of remarkable ambition and depth, The Immortalists probes the line between destiny and choice, reality and illusion, this world and the next. It is a deeply moving testament to the power of story, the nature of belief, and the unrelenting pull of familial bonds.

The Immortalists is a work of literary fiction not really fantasy or magical realism as the synopsis suggests. I personally didn’t have a problem with that as I like literary fiction, but I just wanted to warn anyone thinking this was going to be more magical than it is. 

The book focuses on how knowing the date of their death affects these four siblings and the life choices they make over the course of fifty years, While the debate over fate vs. self-fulfilling prophecy is brought up here and there, it’s not fully explored in depth which disappointed me. 

My main issue though was with the characters. It’s not that they’re unlikable. It’s just that I didn’t find any of them particularly memorable. Simon’s story I actually found predictable and manipulative. I thought Klara who winds up in Vegas as a magician would be interesting, but wasn’t. I did like Daniel who becomes an army doctor and in the course of his work discovers something about the psychic who made the original predictions. But Varya was my favorite. As a scientist researching longevity with monkeys, I thought her story and perspective quite thought-provoking.

There were also some things about the author’s writing style that put me off such as completely random sexual references. For example, here’s how the book begins: “Varya is thirteen. New to her are three more inches of height and the dark patch of fur between her legs. Her breasts are palm sized, her nipples pink dimes.”Wait, what? Why on earth would you begin a book like this? There wasn’t any rhyme or reason to it and right there I started thinking “Uh oh.”

Overall, I thought The Immortalists to have some intriguing ideas that just weren’t fleshed out completely. When you couple that with fairly mundane characters and a predictable plot, the story didn’t quite live up to its premise. I personally think there are other books out there about families that make much more of an impact, including: Little Fires Everywhere, by Celeste Ng; and Watching Glass Shatter, by our own James J. Cudney. The Immortalists isn’t a bad book. It’s just not one I’m going to remember in the long run. That said, this is getting a lot of 4-5 star reviews on Goodreads, so if you’re intrigued, I encourage you to check, it out for yourself.

 

 

Maledicus (The Investigative Paranormal Society Book 1), by Charles F. French ~ 4.0 Stars

Tags

Adult Fiction, Family Relationships, Friendship, Historical Fiction, Horror, LGBT Relationships, Mystery, Paranormal, Suspense

Thanks to the author for sending me a copy of his book in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: Available Now 

333 Pages

Synopsis: “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.” (Edmund Burke)

Roosevelt Theodore Franklin attempts to make it through life day by day. Roosevelt is a widower, who lost his beloved wife to cancer and a retired history professor, and he has not stopped grieving. Along with his two closest friends, also retired and who also have lost loved ones, the three men form a paranormal investigation group. They hope to find an answer to the question: is there life after death?

When asked by a local teacher to investigate a possible haunting of her house, the group discovers an evil beyond anything they could have imagined. This is no mere ghost. Maledicus, who was in life a pimp, torturer, and murderer during Caligula’s reign in Rome, in death has become a sociopathic demon that attacks the weak and innocent. Maledicus threatens a five year old child’s life and soul. Terrified by what they have discovered, Roosevelt and his friends must choose to either walk away from this threat, or do battle with this ancient creature at the potential loss of their sanities, their lives, and their souls.

When our fellow blogger, Charles French, asked if I’d be interested in reading and reviewing Maledicus, the first book in his Investigative Paranormal Society series, I immediately said yes after reading the premise and I’m so glad I did, because I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Maledicus is definitely a character driven book, and just about everyone involved is well-rounded and completely relatable. The Paranormal Society itself is made up older gentlemen: Roosevelt, Jeremy, and Sam. Each of them has suffered the loss of a loved one and as a result have formed this group to investigate strange occurrences and either confirm and dispel meddlesome spirits, or debunk them. The focus in this story is mainly on Roosevelt, but you still get a good sense of who the others are as the author alternates POVs and timelines. Even the demon, Maledicus’ backstory is thoroughly explored, and let me tell you he is one nasty piece of work.

My only criticism is that I felt the dialogue was a little awkward at times and there was some repetitive words and phrasing. But there wasn’t enough of this to spoil my overall enjoyment of the book. I also wish that the IPS’s latest client Helen, had been a little more developed. I don’t know if she’ll be appearing in future books, but I wouldn’t mind seeing her again.

The plot itself is classic horror. Instead of relying on blood and gore, there’s a continual building of chilling suspense and fear. I was mesmerized from the very first page. Everything is so detailed, from the characters backstories, to the afterlife where Maledicus is unleashing his campaign of terror, that I was completely invested in what was happening.

In the end, I believe Maledicus is an auspicious debut for Charles French. With its believable characters and themes of love, friendship and devotion coupled with the horror, suspense and mystery, it’s a captivating tale and one I highly recommend. I’m looking forward to reading the next supernatural adventure of this intrepid group.

~

If you haven’t checked out Charles’s blog at https://charlesfrenchonwordsreadingandwriting.wordpress.com I recommend that as well. You won’t be disappointed. 

The Girl in the Tower (The Winternight Trilogy #2), by Katherine Arden ~ 5.0 Stars

Tags

Fantasy, Feminist Role Models, Historical Fiction, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Del Rey for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: Available Now

352 Pages

Synopsis:

The magical adventure begun in The Bear and the Nightingale continues as brave Vasya, now a young woman, is forced to choose between marriage or life in a convent and instead flees her home—-but soon finds herself called upon to help defend the city of Moscow when it comes under siege.

Orphaned and cast out as a witch by her village, Vasya’s options are few: resign herself to life in a convent, or allow her older sister to make her a match with a Moscovite prince. Both doom her to life in a tower, cut off from the vast world she longs to explore. So instead she chooses adventure, disguising herself as a boy and riding her horse into the woods. When a battle with some bandits who have been terrorizing the countryside earns her the admiration of the Grand Prince of Moscow, she must carefully guard the secret of her gender to remain in his good graces—-even as she realizes his kingdom is under threat from mysterious forces only she will be able to stop.

I’m a little late to the Winternight Trilogy bandwagon. I think I’m one of the last YA Historical fantasy fans to have read the hugely popular The Bear and the Nightingale and I only picked it up when I was approved for The Girl in the Tower. Although I didn’t review the first book, I was utterly enchanted and my only complaint was that I found it a little slow in the beginning. The sequel is much more action packed, yet doesn’t lose any of the magic and charm of its predecessor.

The Girl in the Tower picks up exactly where the first story ended. Vasya, the heroine, has left her small medieval Russian village, where her life was in danger from her increasingly superstitious neighbors. She’s decided that she wants to see the world, and since it’s unheard of for a girl to be off exploring alone, she decides to disguise herself as a boy. While he doesn’t approve, her mysterious ally and protection Morozko the Frost Demon, aids her when he can. Unsurprisingly, Vasya stumbles across a sinister conspiracy once she reaches Moscow and it’s one that not only puts her own life in danger, but those of her family as well.

Vasya has quickly become one of my favorite YA protagonists. Fiercely courageous and loyal, she struggles to find her true self in a world where women have no say regarding their roles in a paternalistic society. Adding to her woes is how different she is from the other subservient members of her gender. She can see and converse with horses and the magical creatures who are slowly fading as Christianity takes a firmer foothold. She’s viewed with suspicion and fear, even by members of her own family. Despite this, she possesses more moral integrity in her little finger than any of those who judge her. Accompanied by her faithful horse Solovey, she takes so many risks, yet always follows her heart. Between the two books, Vasya evolves from this awkward child who is unsure of her place in the world, to an independent, strong young woman, determined to not let herself be forced into the typical female role of this time period. 

The relationship between Vasya and Morozko also continues to grow. But getting in the way of their developing romance are the secrets the Frost Demon stubbornly keeps from the suspicious Vasya. It’s a tricky relationship between an immortal who’s not used to answering to anyone and this young human girl who holds him accountable for his actions. I love the two of them together and I hope there’s even more shared scenes in the final book. 

The world building is simply exquisite. It’s incredibly detailed yet this doesn’t get in the way of the action. Katherine Arden perfectly blends 14th century Russian history with fairytale figures. Even the everyday life of the peasants, military, and nobility are brought realistically to life. Everything is set against a vividly drawn snowy landscape which is beautiful yet adds to the dangerous atmosphere.

The Girl in the Tower is a sumptuous literary feast for the eyes and soul. The only reason why I’m not giving this 5 stars is because Vasya refuses to do one particular thing in regards to her disguise and although I feel like I may be nitpicking, it bothered me because it didn’t seem to be in keeping with her character. Otherwise I cannot recommend both books highly enough for older teens and adults. I cannot wait for the conclusion, The Winter Witch, which is set to be released August 14th, 2018.

Haunting the Deep (How to Hang a Witch #2), by Ariana Mather ~ 5.0 Stars

Tags

Historical Fiction, Magic, Supernatural, The Titanic, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Knopf Books for Young Readers for providing an eARC in exchange for an review.

Release Date: October 3rd, 2017

368 Pages

Synopsis: Samantha Mather knew her family’s connection to the infamous Salem Witch Trials might pose obstacles to an active social life. But having survived one curse, she never thought she’d find herself at the center of a new one.

This time, Sam is having recurring dreams about the Titanic…where she’s been walking the deck with first- class passengers, like her aunt and uncle. Meanwhile, in Sam’s waking life, strange missives from the Titanic have been finding their way to her, along with haunting visions of people who went down with the ship.

Ultimately, Sam and the Descendants, along with some help from heartthrob Elijah, must unravel who is behind the spell that is drawing her even further into the dream ship…and closer to sharing the same grim fate as its ghostly passengers.

We always think that history is fact and literature is fiction. But the truth is, they are all stories. And the people who tell them influence our understanding in various ways.

Haunting the Deep is the sequel to How to Hang a Witch, and while you could read this without having read the first book, I don’t recommend it as it references previous events. If you have read How to Hang a Witch, this is even better!

Before starting my review, I just want to tell you a little about the author, because her intriguing family history gives her a unique platform which to write her books. Ariana Mather is the 12th generation of Mathers in America. Her family has been part of some of our history’s most memorable times—the Salem Witchcraft Trials, the Revolutionary War, and the Titanic. While the first book was based upon her research of the Salem Witchcraft Trials and ancestor Cotton Mather, Haunting the Deep is inspired by a discovery she made a couple of years ago while going through some old letters in her grandmother’s desk. She happened upon a manila envelope with TTITANIC written across it. Hoping there were more than newspaper clippings inside, she was shocked to discover a letter from 1912 that began, “Aunty Myra and Uncle Harry are both home safe and fairly sound considering all they have been through…” Incredibly this was a letter to her great-great-great grandmother detailing how her relatives survived the sinking of the Titanic, and with their dog as well! I wanted to relay this to you, because not only is the story inspired by this, but Ariana includes her ancestors and the letter in the story. This gives it a uniquely personal feel that I honestly don’t think anyone else could have brought to it. 

I absolutely loved every single thing about where Ariana Mather took her story and characters. This new mystery begins six months after the earlier events. Sam is reunited with her dad and still living in Salem, MA, but she’s having difficulty dealing with the trauma her stepmother Vivian, inflicted upon her, and is avoiding the Descendants because they remind her of what happened. She also hasn’t heard from Elijah and is broken-hearted over his absence. This is where I take a small break from my tradition of not including spoilers. You see, Elijah is a ghost, and if I didn’t tell you that, I fear some parts of my review wouldn’t make sense. That’s the only spoiler though, I promise.

Sam isn’t your ordinary high-schooler. A descendant of Cotton Mather she has ability to interact both verbally and physically with the deceased. Her gift is even more fully developed in this story, as she’s accepted what she can do. Now, it’s more about her learning how to control her gift and use it, as well as her interest in magic, and to decide what she wants to do with them. Helping and supporting her are her previous “enemies”, the Descendants: Alice, Mary, and Susannah. It turns out that the girls have a lot more in common and I absolutely loved watching their friendship evolve.

There is a love triangle *rolling eyes*, and you all know by now how I usually despise these, but surprisingly, this one didn’t really annoy me. First, I love Elijah and Jax. Because Elijah is from the 1600s and has suffered through more than one tragedy, there’s an air of solemnity about him. Sam and her vibrant personality is a good match for him. He curbs (at times) her tendency to run headlong into danger, and she brings him out of his shell and makes him smile. Despite the logistical problems of a romance between a spirit and someone who’s alive, theirs is a sweet romance and the ending of this book leaves me hopeful that somehow there will be a future for them.

Jax is the opposite of Elijah in some respects, although they both love and want to protect Sam. He’s funny and on the surface seems to not take life seriously, but he has hidden depths and more is revealed here about what his life was like in Salem before Sam entered the picture. I think the reason why this love triangle didn’t bother me is because while Jax definitely harbors romantic feelings toward Sam, she’s in love with Elijah and clearly sees Jax as her best friend. There’s no dithering, or going back and forth between both boys. She’s also honest with Jax which leads to another difficult chain of events, but I’m not going to expand upon that as I promised no more spoilers. 

There’s two other characters who not only play a big part in the story, but also in Sam’s development: her dad and Jax’s mom, Mae. While her dad was in a coma for the entirety of the first story, they’ve now been living happily together in their lovely house for six months. While it was already obvious how much Sam adored her father, here you see it beautifully reciprocated. They’re not just father and daughter, they’re also friends, and although that relationship is strained in the latter half of the book, it’s because they’re keeping secrets while trying to protect each other, which never works out.

Mae is a wonderfully sweet woman who has taken Sam under her wing. She’s a perfect mother figure to Sam when she needs it the most. I’m hoping, given their childhood friendship, that Sam’s dad and Mae develop a romance of their own in the next book. Meanwhile, I have to warn you that reading about Mae and the incredible desserts she makes is going to have you drooling by the end of the book!

And now for the plot. To be honest, I was a little nervous when I read the premise for this sequel. I loved the first story with its connections to the Salem Witchcraft Trials, and I wasn’t sure how adding the Titanic was going to work. Well, I needn’t have worried because not only do you still have the very real setting of Salem and its continued ties to witchcraft, but Mather somehow meshes in seamlessly, the history of the Titanic. She’s meticulously researched the history of the ship and its passengers, both the wealthy and those in steerage. Several historical characters and some wonderful details are introduced including the famous Mrs. Margaret Brown aka “The Unsinkable Molly Brown”. Although I’ve read a few books on the sinking of the Titanic, both fiction and non-fiction, I didn’t know that Mrs. Brown was known as “Maggie” to her friends, and that it was only the Broadway musical and movie that renamed her “Molly”. Mather also includes the societal norms of the period in regards to the way immigrants and women were treated.

The descriptive details really bring this book to life. Whether its the lovely historical family home Sam and her father live in, or the scrumptious food her father and Mae cook up, or the extravagance of the Titanic, I felt as though I were part of the story. That Mather was able to include all these without taking away from her characters, and that she accomplished this in less than 400 pages is amazing!

And finally, building upon the supernatural and magic already introduced, there’s more with warlocks and love spells and…Tut, tut! No spoilers!

With both How to Hang a Witch, and Haunting the Deep, Ariana Mather has proven herself to be an amazing historian and storyteller.  I highly, HIGHLY recommend these for YAs and adults who love magic, mystery, and history. Both books with their factual ties to past events would make great book group selections for teens. As for me, I’m completely addicted to this series and I cannot wait for the next installment!

 

 

Invictus, by Ryan Graudin ~ 3.5 Stars

Tags

Historical Fiction, Science Fiction, Time Travel, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown Books For Young Readers for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: September 26th, 2017

464 Pages

Synopsis: Time flies when you’re plundering history.

Farway Gaius McCarthy was born outside of time. The son of a time-traveling Recorder from 2354 AD and a gladiator living in Rome in 95 AD, Far’s birth defies the laws of nature. Exploring history himself is all he’s ever wanted, and after failing his final time-traveling exam, Far takes a position commanding a ship with a crew of his friends as part of a black market operation to steal valuables from the past.

But during a heist on the sinking Titanic, Far meets a mysterious girl who always seems to be one step ahead of him. Armed with the knowledge that will bring Far’s very existence into question, she will lead Far and his team on a race through time to discover a frightening truth: History is not as steady as it seems.

Invictus is an interesting mix of historical fiction and science fiction which for the most part I found to be a fun read. While the first couple of chapters were a little slow, mainly because of trying to follow the introduction of all the technological aspects, it didn’t take long for the story to take off and I was completely sucked in.

I have to be honest and say I did not like the main character, Farway at first. I thought he was egotistical and arrogant and completely rubbed me the wrong way. But once his life is upended and he becomes the captain of the Imvictus, leading his friends on trips throughout history as they bring back black market artifacts for the sinister Lux, I began to warm up to him and by the end of the book I saw him in a much more positive light. 

Thankfully there’s no love triangle, but the romance between Far and Pyria is a little tepid. I think in part, this is because their relationship was already in place before the story began. There was no build-up to their feelings and we’re told rather than shown how much they love each other. Although I liked both of them, I never found their relationship believable.

I did like the rest of the characters, but I think they all could have used a bit more development except for Far’s cousin, Imogene who I loved. Her personality sparkles off the pages and she steals every scene she’s in. She changes her hair color just about every day, and is addicted to gelato (I was so hungry while reading this!) She loves Far, yet finds him exasperating at times. She’s not afraid to speak up and keeps his ego in check. She also provides some much needed humor to balance the darker tones of the story. And best of all, she has a red panda named Saffron who I instantly fell in love with!

The world-building and time traveling was imaginative and well written. There were several twists that I didn’t see coming which added some intriguing layers to the plot. As I said previously, I was initially confused by some of the technology and Far’s backstory, but these wrinkles ironed themselves out.

Overall, I quite enjoyed Invictus and I think fans of science fiction and time-travel will enjoy this. The ending ties everything up neatly, but I’m hoping there will be a sequel, maybe concentrating more on the trips back into history and the stealing of artifacts. If Ryan Graudin delved into this element more fully, I could see this becoming a successful YA series. Fingers crossed!

 

A Poison Dark and Drowning (Kingdom On Fire #2), by Jessica Cluess ~ 3.75 Stars

Tags

Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Romance, Victorian Society, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Books For Young Readers for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: September 19th, 2017

432 Pages

Synopsis: 

The magicians want her to lead.

The sorcerers want her to lie.

The demons want her blood.

Henrietta wants to save the one she loves.

But will his dark magic be her undoing?

In this seductive and explosive second book in the Kingdom On Fire series, Jessica Cluess delivers her signature mix of magic, passion, and teen warriors fighting for survival. Hand to fans of Victoria Aveyard, Sarah J. Maas, and Kiersten White.

Henrietta doesn’t need a prophecy to know she’s in danger. She came to London to be named the chosen one, the first full female sorcerer in centuries, the one who would defeat the Ancients. Instead, she discovers a city ruled by secrets. And the biggest secret of all: Henrietta is not the chosen one.

Still, she must play the role in order to keep herself and Took, her best friend and childhood love, safe. But can she truly save him? The poison in Rook’s blood is transforming him into something monstrous as he begins to master dark powers of his own. So, when Henrietta finds a clue to the Ancients past that could turn the tide of the war, she persuades Blackwood, the mysterious Earl of Sorrow-Fell, to travel up the coast to seek out strange new weapons. And Magnus, the brave, reckless flirt who wants to win back her favor, is assigned to their mission. Together, they will face monsters, meet powerful new Allies, and uncover the most devastating weapon of all: the truth.

When I reviewed the first book in this series, A Shadow Bright and Burning, and gave it 3 stars, my main complaints concerned what I saw as lack of character development and not enough world-building. In the sequel, A Poison Dark and Drowning, Jessica Cluess has addressed those issues much to my satisfaction. But, the “romance” here was just awful, hence my rather odd rating.

Henrietta drove me absolutely NUTS! On the one hand I continue to love that she’s not the typical “chosen one”. She’s intelligent, feisty, courageous, and loyal to those she cares for. She battles over doing what’s right and is plagued by self-doubt and guilt over her previous actions. She also continually lies and keeps secrets in the name of protecting her friends. In essence, she’s a complex, yet relatable character,  and I’m enjoying where the author is going with her story. However, the flippin’ love square between her, Rook, Magnus and Blackwood was horrible and distracting, and had me grinding my teeth almost the entire time I was reading. I don’t think I’ve been this annoyed by someone’s constant dithering since the Bella Swan in the Twilight series! In my humble opinion, if Jessica Cluess would lay off the soap-opera relationship drama, this would be a much tighter and more entertaining series.

What I did like though, is that all the characters were much more multi-dimensional in this story. Magnus is now one of my favorites as it’s revealed that there’s much more to him than being an incorrigible flirt. There’s also a new character introduced, Maria, who I absolutely loved and I can’t wait to see what happens with her in the next book. And while many other reviewers continue to dislike Henrietta’s childhood friend, Rook, I’m actually rooting for a riding off into the sunset, happy ending for him and Henrietta.

The world-building is absolutely PHENOMENAL here, which is what really saved this book for me. Combining Victorian England with Lovecraft-like monsters known as the Ancients is absolutely brilliant, and you find out much more in this book about their history and why they’ve been brought here. Likewise, there’s more revealed about Sorcerers and Magicians and the animosity between them. And finally, even with all the fantasy elements that compose this tale, Cluess still manages to capture the very real societal norms of the period, especially when it comes to how women were treated.

I’ve gone back and forth on whether to rate A Poison Dark and Drowning 3 1/2 Stars or 4. There are so many things I loved about this book, but I disliked the relationship drama so much that it took away some of my enjoyment. After a lot of agonizing, I came up with the 3.75. I think that fans of the previous book will most likely enjoy this sequel even more. And although I had issues with both books, I’d still recommend that historical fantasy fans give them a try. Despite my critical remarks, I devoured this in two sittings and I will definitely be reading the third book.

 

Odd & True, by Cat Winters ~ 5.0 Stars

Tags

Family Secrets, Historical Fiction, Mystery, Paranormal, Sisters, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Amulet Books for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: Available Now

368 Pages

Synopsis: Trudchen grew up hearing Odette’s stories of their monster-slaying mother and a magician’s curse. But now that Tru’s older, she’s starting to wonder if her older sister’s tales were just comforting lies, especially because there’s nothing fantastic about her own life—permanently disabled and in constant pain from childhood polio. 

In 1909, after a two-year absence, Od reappears with a suitcase full of weapons and a promise to rescue Tru from the monsters on their way to attack her. But it’s Od who seems haunted by something. And when the sisters’ search for their mother leads them to a face-off with the Leeds Devil, a nightmarish beast that’s wreaking havoc in the Mid-Atlantic States, Tru discovers the peculiar possibility that she and her sister—despite their dark pasts and ordinary appearances—might, indeed, have magic after all.

Cat Winters has grown to become one of my favorite YA authors because of her lyrical style of writing, and the wonderful way she combines historical fiction with the supernatural. Although Odd & True was not at all what I expected, I think it might be her best novel yet! 

The story is told from both sisters’ perspectives—Tru’s in 1909, and Od’s farther in the past during the two years she was away. I thought this was going to be a book about hunting monsters, but it’s really about Tru and Od coming to terms with the tragedies in their pasts and coming to facing reality, as long buried family secrets come to light. As they cope with all this, there’s a lot of sadness, but the love and support these sisters share is so pure and beautiful, that it’s obvious that in the end they will pull through.

The story is more family drama than thriller, but it does have a hint of the paranormal in the last third of the book. I found this to be a quick page-turner, because I loved both Tru and Od, and also because of the intrigue surrounding their family. Their battle with the Leeds Devil is a nice touch especially as the events surrounding it are based upon actual events. The ending is absolutely perfect as everything comes full circle and I found myself tearing up a bit reading the last few pages.

With Odd & True, Cat Winters has definitively proven what a creative writer she is. This is a story about hardship, loss, family secrets, monsters and myths. But most of all, it’s a beautiful story of two sisters who overcome the setbacks in their lives because of the love they have for each other. I highly recommend this for older teens and adults who enjoy historical fiction with character-driven plots, that are infused with traces paranormal elements.